Flexible floor covering and method of making the same



April 17, 1956 l. l. BEzMAN 2,742,377

FLEXIBLE FLOOR COVERING AND METHOD OF' MAKING THE SAME med may 1s. 1952 INVENTOR IRVING I. BEZMAN ATTORNEY .known to the lart.

United States Patent "ice Sylvania IApplication May v13, 1952,\.SerialNo.i 287515 ..1'1 Claims. ((1117-76) This ,invention .relates 4to viiexible hard surface `floor coveringandfamethodof making thesame. Morepardicularly, the. invention-relates to :the .productionof .low

cost, `.ilexible, `hard surface noot-,covering .comprised .of .a saturated felt backing .and .one or more 4coatingsde- ,.posited .from aqueous dispersions of vvinyl resins.

.There are various types of hardsurface'oor coverings Probably the mostywidely :known is linoleum. Linoleum is manufactured `by depositing :a

:mixture ,of filler 'pigment and -linoleum binder, generally obtained by oxidizing '1a drying oil in the presence .'ofzairesin, `upon a. suitable carrier backing, for .example saturated felt v.The mass is .then stoved or rcuredlfor .a .considerable period-ottime to t obtain ,the desired prop- -erties "of `resilience .and diexibility in the -wearing surface. .Linoleum .is 1a -eomparatively vexpensive .'iloorng :material ,because -of the raw ,materials from which .it Ais manuifactured and yffurther because ofthe techniques 'employed in :its fmanufacture, -particularly the comparatively :long period of .timerequired for Vthe `stovingstep.

Another type of ilexiblethard surface 'ziiooring material iis that known asa felt base flooring. Felt basefisiznor- .mally'prepared ;by printing 'a .decorative 'wearingfsuriace 'upon' a'tsuitably treated 4:carrier lbackin g. Generally .speak- `desired properties required in a iiooring material.

'There are 'certain types of'installations'of'ooring `material iwhichre'quire aiproduct'of the ilexible, hard surface type but which, -due 'to the 'nature of the installation, require an extremely 'low cost material. Forvexample, iin 'the case ofal'arge flooring area 'in which "the sub'flooi' is low 4cost wood or a 'low grade Aof concrete 'which fde velops clust rapidly, it is, generally speaking, necessary lto provide 4a "low cost, 'hard surface, 'iexiblefiiooring Imate- A;.rial over the fsubfloor. A typical example :would be a barracks area in ia military installation. :Such :areas ewould `:be suitably tcovered .with either linoleum \or :telt ibase nnateriaL-:but :the :cost of ythe average vinstallatirm :of either :of :these :types of materials `is :normally .toothigh v.to warrant their use. I

.1n order to Eprovide a :low -cost -floormg :material :for

materials susceptible to alkali .attack as a binder .in-v gredi'ent'. ."Such materials 'are also readily attacked 'by solvents and possess little resistance to 'the 'action `of' vegetable oils. The dark .color .of the Lpitch binder 'in such foor coverings 'makes Vit 'impossible 'to .producelightclor'ed products. A "further disadvantage lies in `the susceptibility of such floor coverings to cracking whenthe vmaterialis rolledorzunrolled, particularly. incold weather. .In addition, such materialpossesses the undesirable .char- .acteristic of-brittleness inthe Wearing surface sothat in .cutting the :material for application to:a givendloor .,areathecomposition wearing surface cracks or chips to .such .an extent that `an attractive installation eis Y.dicult Ilhave foundthat alow cost, flexible,.hard: surfacerfloor .covering characterizedby good Wearresistanceland other desir-able .physical properties may be obtained by ascomfpara'tivelysimple method `of applying oneor more base :coatings .of specially prepared adispersions of a .composi- .tion containing a rosincompound .anda lresinous-co polymer'of butadiene and styrene to ya rsaturated y'felt v.backing .onsirnilar backingfmaterial. Over .the basezcoat is deposited a wear coat comprised of a rubberlikepolymer .and -.a. reinforcing vinyl resin.

The .term rosin compound .as t.employed herein-isin- .tended .totinclude `rosin .fractions and alkaline:.dispersions .of .stabilized rosin and `rosn-derivatives. Typical .ofthe Irosin .fractions is .the 4extracted pine'wood vpitch -resin whichcomprises .Ya residue low in -abietic.-acidremaining fafter ...separation of .refined rosin thigh in y.abietic -acid :from-thef resinous 'material obtained by extraction yof Ipine ..wnod `withfa solvent. A vcommercial variety of :suchaa :resin ,is presently sold under .the trade -name "-Vinsol; Typical of the r.alkaline :dispersions are: .a 40% rsolids ammoniacal dispersion of a dark wood rosin stabilized with an animal protein andfsold under the trade name Dresinol 238; ad40% solids ammoniacal dispersion of a partially decaboxylated Ypale fgum ros'in "having 1an fac'id num'ber .of 10'0 `to T105, fstabilize'd -With animal protein, A4and sold under lthe-trade -name Dresinol42; and 'a 45% Islids ammoniacal dispersion of a plasticized ihydrogenated fpalelvvoodrosin stabilized with an animaltprotein andsold under the trade name Dresinol 210B.

l The resinous polymers of butadiene and styrene are Wellknown in the art. Generally speaking, these -mate- .rials are .obtained by lcopolymerizing minor yportions of butadiene with major portions of styrene. .Forexampla a copolymer containing 20% kto 40% butadiene rand A60% .to styrene is .a well-known resinous copolymer of butadiene and styrene. Of course, higher proportions of styrene may be employed, :such as those containing .-anddligher of styrene and 5% or lower of butadiene. In fact,.it'is Within the :scope'of my linvention ttoemploy ya polymer of styrene `prepared in the absence `of vbutaidiene or other copolymerizable material. fHowever,;gen erally speaking, advantageous results are obtained `when fthe resinous butadiene-styrene Ycopolymers :are :employed as an ingredient of the composition applied to the saturated felt base.

Thezproportions of the two components of the base coating .composition may Abe widely varied. However, generally'rspeaking, advantageous results are obtained by utilizing a composition containing about 20% to Aabout 60% resin compound and about 80% to -about l4.0% resinous styrene polymer. As `used herein, the term resinous styrene polymer 4or its `equivalent lis intended to includehornopolymers of styrene as well as resinous copolymers of styrene and 'butadiene containing a predominantportion of styrene.

The-Hoor coverings of myinventionare alkali'res'is'tant, resistant lto Vvegetable oils, and resistant 'to :hydrocarbon Jsolvents. The finished product cuts cleanlyWith-standard saturated 'felt backing, 2 is the iirst or base coat described hereinafter, and 3 is the top or wear coat described below.

In accordance with my invention, a sheet of raw felt or similar material is waterproofed by saturation with any of a number of conventional materials, such as asphalt, synthetic resins, or synthetic rubbers, to provide the carrier backing of the floor covering. The saturation may be carried out in conventional equipment, such'as a tank provided with the saturant through which the sheet is slowly passed to absorb the desired amount of material. If desired, the beater saturation technique may be used in producing the carrier backing. In such a process the saturant is deposited upon the fibers in the beater, and the resulting slurry of coated fibers'is formed into a sheet of the desired thickness on conventional papermaking equipment. The beater saturation process is particularly advantageous when a synthetic rubber, such as a copolymer of butadiene and styrene, is the principal ingredient of the saturant.

After the saturated felt carrier backing is produced as indicated above, it is particularly advantageous in the practice of the process of my invention to apply thereto a first coating containing a rosin compound and a resinous vinyl polymer which is advantageously a resinous polymer of butadiene and styrene in which styrene is the principal ingredient. This first coating may also contain a selected amount of filler material which may be any of a number of conventional fillers, such as slate our, wood our, clay, ground limestone, and the like.` Typical examples of the base coat are as follows:

Example I Parts by weight Copolymer containing 60 parts styrene and 40 parts butadiene (Dow Chemical Company Latex 512) 50 Dresinol 238 50 Mixed fillers containing slate flour, clay, and iron oxide pigment in the ratio 88: 10:2 400 Example II Parts by weight Copolymer containing 60 parts styrene and 40 parts butadiene (Dow Chemical Company Latex 512)-- 70 Dresinol 42 30 Mixed fillers containing slate flour, clay, and iron oxide pigment in the ratio 88:10:2 500 Example III Parts by weight Copolymer containing 60 parts styrene and 40 parts butadiene (Dow Chemical Company Latex 512) 70 Vinsol resin 30 Mixed fillers containing slate flour, clay, and iron oxide pigment in the ratio 88:10:2 400 Example IV Parts by weight Copolymer` containing 55 parts styrene and 45 parts of butadiene (Goodyear Chemical Company Copolymer containing 55 parts styrene and 45 parts of butadiene (Goodyear Chemical Company Chemigum 101) 70 Vinsol resin 30 Mixed fillers containing slate flour, clay, and iron oxide pigment in the ratio 88:10:2 400 The above weights are given on a dry basis. In preparing this, first or base coat, a wetting agent, preferably an anionic surface-active agent such as the alkyl benzene sulfonates,k for example sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate; alkyl diphenyl sulfonates such as sodium butyl dipheuylsulfonate; alkyl naphthalene sulfonates, for example sodium di-isopropyl naphthalene sulfonate and the like; preferably a sequestering agent, such as tetrasodium pyrophosphate; and the desired amount of water, which is normally suicient to provide a slurry containing about 60% to 70% solids, are blended by stirring. I may also employ a nonionic surface-active agent such as the partialesters of polyhydric alcohols, for example monoethylene glycol monolaurate, or a cationic surface-active agent such as salts of primary, secondary, kand tertiary amines such as oleyl amine acetate. The pigments and fillers are then added to this dispersing medium and the mixture stirred vigorously to `form a slurry to which is then added the resinous styrene polymer and rosin compound. If acidic fillers are used, the pH of the slurry is adjusted to above 7 before addition of resinous material.

It is also within the scope of my invention to mix all of the ingredients of the base coat at one time as by agitation in a pebble mill. In following this procedure, the dry fillers, if used, and pigments may be ball milled with the binder dispersion, provided that sequestering and wetting agents, together with suicient ammonia to maintain the pH above 7, are first added to the binder dispersions. By following such a procedure, one may obtain higher solids content formulations, thereby allowing the use of smaller quantities of thickening agents.

A A coating material prepared as indicated above is then applied to the saturated felt backing by suitable means, advantageously a knife coater which is adjusted to obtain a wet film having a thickness of approximately six mils. The coated backing material is then dried for approximately two hours at a temperature of about 75 C. to about C. In preparing this coating, which I term a base coat, it is particularly advantageous to employr about 75% to about 85% by weight filler and about 15% to about 25% by weight of binder. Some variation is permissible; but, in any event, a highly filled coating is preferred. However, I may employ a clear film as a base coat if desired. One or more applications of base coat material may be made. It is, generally speaking, desirable to apply suicient coating material to obtain a smooth surface upon which to deposit the wearing surface coat which will be described below. This base coat, in addition to providing a smooth surface, functions somewhat as a wearing coat and, furthermore, prevents the normally dark saturated felt from showing through the later applied decorative wearing coat.

Following application of the base coat as indicated above, the decorative wearing coat is applied.

The wearing coat may be prepared by first forming a dispersing medium for the fillerk and pigment containing Water, a sequestering agent such as sodium pyrophosphate, sodium hexametaphosphate, and the like, and a wetting agent. To this dispersion medium may be added the fillers and pigments, the resulting slurry being pebble milled to produce the desired dispersion. Before addition of the binder for the coating to the` slurry of pigment, it is, generally speaking, desirable to adjust the pH of the ller and pigment slurry to at least approximately 7 by means of ammonium hydroxide, or other suitable alkaline materials. After adjustment to the desired pH, the various aqueous dispersions of binders are blended with the slurry. If necessary, antifoaming agents, such as octyl alcohol, pine oil, dibutyl phthalate, and the like, may be added to the binder dispersion to prevent foaming during blending. The resulting blend is then ready for application as the wearing surface coat; and, if desired, a small amount, depending upon the method of application, of a thickening agent, for example carboxymethylcellulose, may be added. Normally about 1% b'y weight of thickening agent is sufficient.

Typical examples of wearing or top coat formulations are given below, and the parts by weight are given on 'a basis.

AEaeamPle'l/I t "1 l by vhweight Blend "containing 55 parts tprtlyvinyl chloride, y45

parts of-a|copdlymer=containing 35 parts of ac- .tylonitr`le :and 65 parts of 'butadiene "70 5 Slateilour 26.4 YClay 3 Pigment :6

Example iVH i. 10

.Parts by weight f-.C- opo'lymer of butadiene Land VacrylQnittile foonitaining 65 gparts'ofbutadiene andS.a .arts ,0f

.acrylonitrile .245 .Polyvinyl Achloride iSlateionr 26:4 Clay 3.0 '.Pigment 0.-6

Example .VIII v .Barts by 4weight Ctopolymer ,of ,butadiene v,and acrylonitrile ,c onl ,taining 65 parts y,butadiene and .35 Eparts acry-` Partsby weigh Copolymer ofbutadiene and styrene containing l 60 parts of `styrene and 40 parts o f butadiene T35 30 vPolystyrene 35 LSlatef'flour y 26:4 Clay '3.10 j-Pigment ;6

Example .X

f Barts by weight fCopolyrner of Sbutadiene and .styrene .containing 95 tpartsvstyrene tand Y5 parts abutadiene 252:5

` .Parts by weight .Copolyrner of .butadiene .and `styrene f containing 95 parts styrene and 5 parts butadiene '13.5 Copolymer of butadiene and styrene containing partsstyrene and .4S-:parts butadien,e 24.5 50 Pigment 2.0

ExampleXlJ Y i Parts rbyweight .'.Copolymerfof butadiene and acrylqnimle (I,`n

ltaining.,65 jparts butadiene and `35 `parts acry- 55 V.lonitrile A, `3.5 .Polyvinylchloride .6 5

As may be the practice in the production of the base coat, the wear or top coat may be prepared by ball milling dry fillers and pigments, if used, directly with the binder dispersion, provided similar conditions are,N observed.

Generally speaking, these top coats comprise a rubberlike butadiene polymer and a reinforcing resin manufactured from a material containing a vinyl group. Such resins are normally called vinyl resins and may be polymers of vinyl chloride or they may be polymers of vinyl aromatic compounds such as styrene. As is well known, rubberlike butadiene polymers contain a preponderant portion of butadiene or its equivalent, generally copolymerized with styrene, acrylonitrile, vor the like. Ordinarily, we have obtained particularly advantageous results when the formulation for the top coat contains about 20% to 50% by weight of the binder of rubberlike ma 75 `the-basecoat.

:backing=through`iaknife coating apparatus lwhich deposits 4period -of about two hours. drying rof the top coat the 4dried 'ilrn maybe fused at temperatures Abetweema'bout 80" LC. and 150 C. for/two #ferial and about" '1151150473 '-by weightof the l,reinforcfing .vinyl vresins. These ratios yrnay, tof Q course, 'lbe lvaried, .depending, among `;other .thi-ngs, 1upon fthe i particular in- -gredientsl employed inproducing the fcoating material, fthe with-a straight zpolystyrene or rslightly modied'styrene polymersuch, for example, yas onelcontainingup vto '5% butadiene, Vit Ais, generally speaking, ldesirable to `utilize about 20% tof40% byweighto'frthe rubber polymer land `about\60% to '80% bytweig'htfo'f the'resinous polymer. Preferably, about 75 -'-parts b y weight of -resin yare employed in conjunction witha'bout 25 parts `by weightof arubber Vpolymer. In order to obtain the proper'conf sistency "for-knife coating application, 'I have found that the-concentration of aqueous dispersions is advantageous- Latex 5.12,) 50 fDresinol 23,8 ..20 ,Mixed llers containing .slate tlour,1clay, :and

.inonoxide pigment .inthe ratio 88:10: 2 v30 'The top fcoat iis applied lto the base =coated "backing Ain much the `same :manner as employed iin the application vof It is advantageous topass the-base coated a coating `of `material described immediately above yin -a lthichnessfof about 6 mils. 'Ihecoated material is then subjected to drying conditions which generally Ainvolve heating at atemperature ro'f `about 75 to Y85 C. for a If desired, E'following the days to `ve minutes, the Lfusing time being 'inversely -proportional `to the -fusing temperature. Fusion improves lwear resistance, ltoughness, land ,rsimilar properties. VThe resulting product Ycan then 'be `rolled into conventional :rolls of `flooring material, which material ys characterized Such resins are all well known to the art and are generally referred to in the art as vinyl resins.

I claim:

l. A flexible, hard surface floor covering comprising a saturated felt backing carrying a film deposited from an aqueous dispersion containing about 75% to about by weight iiller and about 15% to about 25% by amas?? ing about 25% to about 35% filler and about 65% to f about 75% binder containing about 20%y to about 50% by, Weight of rubberlike butadiene polymer and about 80% to about 50% by weight of a vinyl reinforcing resin.

2. A exiblc, hard surface oor covering comprising a saturated felt backing, a base coat obtained by deposition from an equeous dispersion containing about 75% to about 85% by Weight illler and about 15% to about 25% by weight of a binder containing about 20% to about 60% by weight of extracted pine wood pitch resin and about 80% to about 40% by weight of a resinous styrene polymer, and a fused top coat deposited from an aqueous dispersion containing about 25% to about 35% filler and about 65% to about 75% binder vcomprised of about to about 50% by weight of rubberlike butadiene polymer and about 80% to about 50% by weight of a vinyl reinforcing resin.

3. A ilexible, hard surface iloor covering comprising a saturated felt backing, a base coat obtained by deposition from an aqueous dispersion containing about,75% to about 85% by weight ller and about 15% to about 'oy Weight of a binder containing about 20% to about 60% by weight of an alkaline dispersion of stabilized rosin and about 80% to about 40% by weight of a resinous styrene polymer, and a fused top coat deposited from an aqueous dispersion containing about 25% to about ller and about 65% to about 75% binder comprised of about 20% to about 50% by weight of rubber-like butadiene polymer and about 80% to about by weight of a vinyl reinforcing resin.

4. A flexible, hard surface iloor covering comprisin a saturated felt backing, a base coat obtained by deposition from an aqueous dispersion containing about 75% to about A85% by weight filler and about 15% to about 25% by Weight of a binder containing about 20% to about by Weight of an alkaline dispersion of stabilized rosin derivative and about 80% to about 40% by weight of a resinous styrene polymer, and a fused top coat deposited from an aqueous dispersion containing about 25 to about35% filler and about 65% to about binder comprised of about 20% to about 50% by weight of rubberlike butadiene polymer and about to about 50% by weight of a vinyl reinforcing resin.

5. A ilexible, hard surface iloor covering comprising a saturated felt backing, a base coat obtained by deposition from an aqueous dispersion containing iiller and a binder including about 20% to about 60% by weight of a rosin compound and about 80% to about 40% by weight of a resinous styrene polymer, and a fused top `coat deposited from an aqueous dispersion containing filler and a binder including about 20%,to about 50% of a rubberlike butadieneppolymer and about 50% to about 80% by Weight of a reinforcing vinyl resin.

6. A flexible, hard surface floor covering comprising a saturated felt backing, a base coat obtained by depo- Cil sition from an aqueous dispersion containing a filler and a binder including about 20% to about 60% by weight of an extracted pine wood pitch resin and about 80% to about 40% by weight of a resinous styrene polymer, and `a fused top coat deposited from an aqueous dispersion vcontaining filler and` a binder including about 20% to about 50% of a rubberlike butadiene polymer and about 50% to about 80% by weight of a reinforcing vinyl resin.

7. A flexible, hard surface oor covering comprising a saturated felt backing, a base coat obtained by deposition from an aqeuous dispersion containing filler and a binder kincluding about 20% to about 60% by weight of an alkaline dispersion of stabilized rosin and about 80% to about 40% by weight of a resinous styrene polymer, and a fused top coat deposited from an aqueous dispersion containing filler and a binder including about 20% to about 50% of a rubberlike butadiene polymer and about 50% to about 80% by weight of a reinforcing vinyl resin.

8. A exible, hard surface floor covering comprising a saturated felt backing, a base coat obtained by deposition from an aqueous dispersion containing filler and a binder including about 20% to about 60% by Weight of analkaline dispersion of a stabilized rosin derivative and 'about 80% to about 40% by weight of a resinous styrene polymer, and a fused top coat deposited from an aqueous dispersion containing ller and a binder including about 20% to about 50% of a rubberlike butadiene polymer and about 50% to about 80% by weight of a reinforcing vinyl resin.

- 9. A flexible, hard surface lloor covering comprising a saturated felt backing coated with at least one coat obtained by deposition from an aqueous dispersion includ- ;,ing filler and a binder containing about 20% to about 60% by weight of a rosin compound and about 80% to about 40% of a resinous styrene polymer.

10. A flexible, hard surface oor covering comprising a saturated felt backing coated with at least one coat obtained by deposition from an aqueous dispersion including filler and a binder containing about 20% to about 60% by weight of extracted pine wood resin and about References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,330,353 Henderson Sept. 28, 1943 2,382,731 Little Aug. 14, 1945 2,409,276 Harvey Oct. 15, 1946 2,430,934 Kemmler et al Nov. 18, 1947 2,554,899 Cowgill May 29, 1951 2,589,502 Lurie Mar. 18, 1952 

1. A FLEXIBLE, HARD SURFACE FLOOR CONVERING COMPRISING A SATURATED FELT BACKING CARRYING A FILM DEPOSITED FROM AN AQUEOUS DISPERSION CONTAINING ABOUT 75% TO ABOUT 85% BY WEIGHT FILLER AND ABOUT 15% TO ABOUT 25% BY WEIGHT OF A BINDER CONTAINING ABOUT 20% TO ABOUT 60% BY WEIGHT OF A ROSIN COMPOUND AND ABOUT 80% TO ABOUT 40% BY WEIGHT OF A RESINOUS STYRENE POLYMER AND FUSED TOP COAT DEPOSITED FROM AN AQUEOUS DISPERSION COMPRISING ABOUT 25% TO ABOUT 35% FILLER AND ABOUT 65% TO ABOUT 75% BINDER CONTAINING ABOUT 20% TO ABOUT 50% BY WEIGHT OF RUBBERLIKE BUTADIENE POLYMER AND ABOUT 80% TO ABOUT 50% BY WEIGHT OF A VINYL REINFORCING RESIN. 